PNO-I-97-051, on 970808,notified Region I That City of Jeanette Municipal Vehicle,Transporting Waste,Prohibited from Entering Landfill After Triggered Entry Alarms.Pa Dept of Environ Protection Survey Demonstrated Exposure Rate
| ML20198F739 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Issue date: | 08/08/1997 |
| From: | Anthony Dimitriadis, Sarah Shaffer NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| PNO-I-97-051, PNO-I-97-51, NUDOCS 9708130130 | |
| Download: ML20198F739 (2) | |
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.' DCS No. 9999000197080897 3 > ** Dato: August 8, 1997 PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNUSUAL OCCURRENCE PN1-97-51 This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of events of POSSIBLE safety or public interest significance. The information is as initially received without verification or evaluation, and is casically all that is known by the Region I staff on this date.
Facility:
Jeanette Municipal Authority Licensee Emergency Classification:
Jeanette, Pennsylvania Notification of Unusual Event Alert Site Area Emergency General Emergency X Not Applicable Docket No: 99990001970808 License No: Not Applicable )
Event No: None Event Location Code: MAT i
SUBJECT:
RADIOLOGICALLY CONTAMINATED MUNICIPAL WASTE l I
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of f Radiation Protection (PA DEP) notified Region I on August 8, 1997 !
at approximately 12:30 p.m. that a city of Jeanette municipal {
vehicle, transporting waste, was prohibited from entering the landfill af ter it triggered entry alarms. The vehicle was returned .
to the municipal garage. A PA DEP survey demonstrated that the exposure rate on one side of the vehicle was 3 milliRoentgens per hour (mR/hr) and indistinguishable from background on the opposite side of the vehicle. The municipal waste from the section 1
l of the vehicla that had the elevated exposure rate readings was removed from the vehicle for further evaluation. The results of preliminary surveys identified approximately one cubic foot of absorbent cesium-137. material that is believed to be contaminated with The exposure rate from this material is 5 mR/hr at contact. The contaminated material was sealed in double plastic bags and is being transported to a laboratory for further analysis.
l Region I staff are coordinating event response with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The EPA is the lead agency for radioactive material discovered in the public domain of unknown origin.
The NRC and PA DEP are continuing their efforts to identify the origin of the radiological material.
Local press and television media have expressed interest in this incident. The Region I Office of Public Affairs is prepared to respond to media inquiries.
This information is current as of 4:00 p.m., August 8, 1997.
Contacts: Anthony Dimitriadis Steve Shaffer (610) 337-6953 (610) 337-5256
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